Eating disorders stop young, and we have to talk about it

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. – Every 62 minutes, someone in this country dies from an eating disorder.

Eating disorder week beginning February 25. And now there's an increasing number of diagnoses of younger people.

Jamie Nordby was one of them.

When Jamie was 6 years old, she tackled a costume for a dance review and concern.

"Immediately, even then, I was worried about what I was going to look like what I look like other girls. I would look different on stage," Nordby recalls.

That concern remained with her and slowly became something more sinister by the time she joined the basketball team for 10 years.

"I had a hard fall in basketball and my coach said:" Good thing, you have a pillow & # 39; and I was like: & # 39; is supposed to make me feel better and doesn't do it, and it's typing & # 39; Maybe I should change it, & # 39; & # 39; Nordby said.

"Maybe I should it changes. "[19659002] By 10 years it marked the unofficial start.

" It starts very young. People don't think those little ones are thinking about it, but they do it, "said Nordby.

People may not, but those who work in eating disorders and awareness, absolutely know how young they start. 39; a parent of a 7-year-old and I can easily see the 5- and 6-year-old mind, the 7-year-old, very much, how much they compare themselves to others. "WithAll's executive director, Lisa Radzak," says a non-profit job to prevent eating disorders.

Jamie was 12 years old, which is the average age of diagnosis, when she first goes to treatment.

Sign up for the Sunrise Morning Newsletter

Thanks

Something went wrong.

This email will be delivered to your inbox once a day in the morning.

Thank you for subscribing to the Sunrise Newsletter

Please try again later.

She remembers what she did.

"Take a bag of lunch, but don't put anything in it. Don't get hot lunch and say you've eaten or gone home and worked out before my parents come home and when they get home. say I'm going to work out, as I'm not today, and work out again. Small lies that don't look like a big problem parents don't see or don't want to see because they don't know how to approach it , "Nordby shared.

And the reason she's talking about it Now, telling the former secrets, is breaking down the power of an eating disorder.

"Voicing it takes away the secrecy. My eating disorder, and I think all eating disorders or any addiction, thrives on secrecy," Nordby said.

If you want to use & # 39; a positive language to use children or students, look at this WithAll website.